Catalytic apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia



Dec. 25 1923. 1,478,556)

1... CASALE CATALYTIC APPARATUS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF AMMONIA Filed June 26. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @ec. 25 1923. I

L. CASALE CATALYTIC APPARATUS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF AMMONIA Filed June 26. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Luigi Casale W 6' ,H m

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TO CASALE OF ROME, ITALY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE IGENTS,

MONIA COMPANY, 015 LUGANO, SWITZERLAND.

.CATALYTIC APPATUS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF MONIA.

Application filed June 26, 1922. Serial No. 571,036.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, LUIGI CASALE, a subfigt of the King of Italy, and a resident of me, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catalytic Apparatus for the Synthesis of Ammonia, of which the following is a specification.

In the drawings forming part section of my demos; and Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of my device.

According to the present invention, I have designed a new apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia from its elements in which the reaction chamber is situated within the heat recuperator and the heater element is placed in a tube located in the center of the reaction chamber and the whole is so arranged that no part which is subjected to pressure can reach such a temperature that its strength is diminished. I Moreover in this apparatus it is possible to withdraw and replace the catalytic substance by means of suitable openings in the closures of the pressure sustaining tube.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved means for holding the catalytic agent for the synthesis of ammonia. It is also an object of my invention to provide a device of the type described in which the ressure sustaining element or tube will not e subjected to gases at high temperatures at any time during the process; which will permit of the removal of the electrical resistance element used for heating the gases without disturbing the connections by which the gases are supplied to the device and without the removal of the catalytic agent from the device; and which will permit of the removal of the catalytic agent from the device and the supplying of fresh catalytic agent ance element or breaking the connections by which the gases are supplied to the device.

( of hydrogen and nitrogen 1n the proper pro- With these and other objects in view, my which is an improvement on the devices shown in my Patent No. 1,408,987,

issued March 7, 1922, and in my application p filed March 31, 1921, Serial No. 457,211, comprises a flanged pressure sustainingv tube 1 closed at the ends by heads or caps 2 and 3 secured to the flanges of the tube 1 in any suitable manner, as by bolts, not shown.

The caps 2 and 3 are provided with annular projections 4 engagi g P 5 in grooves of this specification Fig 1 1s a central vertical without disturbing the electrical resist-- 6' in the ends of the tube 1. The tube 1 and the caps 2 and 3 form a closed chamber 7 1n which the caps 2 and 3 secure a corrugated sheet metal tube 8 closed by plu s 9 and 10. The plug 9 projects into the tn 8 and has mounted on its inner end a tube 11 which is open at its other end. The plu has mounted thereon a tube 12 whic surrounds the corrugated tube 8 and which is open at its other end. It will be noted that the tubes 8, Hand 12 divide the chamber 7 into a plurality of chambers or passages, the annular passage 13 between the tubes 1 and 12 being in open communication around the open end of the tube 12 with the annular passage 14 between thetubes 8 and 12 and the annular passage 15 between the tubes 8 and 11 is in open communication with the interior of the tube 11 around the open end of the tube 11. The plug 10 also supports a tube 16 which is open at its other end and forms with the tube 11 an annular chamber 17 which is in open communication with the chamber 18 in the tube 16.

Projecting into the chamber 18 is a heating device, shown as an electrically heated resistance element 19, carried by a suitable support 20 secured to a plug' 21 adapted to be inserted in an opening in the cap 3. Current for heatin the element 19 is supplied by wires 22 w ich pass through openings in the plug 21. The ca 3 is also provided with a passage 23 whic communicates with the chamber 17 throu h a passage 24 for the introduction of the catalytic a ent, the passage 23 being normally closed ygra lug 25 inserted in t e openine in the cap 3. he catalytic agent ma be withdrawn from the chamber 17 throng a passage 26 in the plu 9 which connects with a passage 27 in t e cap 2, the passage 27 being normally closed by a plug 28.

In the operation of my device, the mixture portions is supplied by a supply pipe 36 and passes byapassage 37 in the cap 2 to a assage 38 in the plug 9 which communicates with both passages 13 and 14. The mixture then passes through the passage 14 to the passage 32 in the plug 10 which communicates with the chamber 18 in which the gases are heated by contact with the resistance element 19. From the chamber I 18 the gases pass to the chamber 17 where the no the ammonia gas is con heated gases come in contact with the catalytlc agent and the union of the gases is efiected. l'rom the chamber 17 the gases pass around the end of the tube 11 into the passage from which they pass to a .passage 33 in the plug 9 which communicates through a passage 34 in the cap 2 with a discharge pipe which leads to the cooling and collecting chambers not shown, in which densed and separated from. the uncombined gases.

It will be noted that the hot gases leaving the chamber 17 in which the catalytic action takes place pass out through the pas- 15 sage 15 while the cooler gases bein supplied to the heating element 19 will fi the passage 13 and will pass through the passage 14 which is separated from the passage 15 only by the corrugated sheet metal tube 8 so that the incoming gases are heated to a considerable extent while the outgoing gases are cooled thus contributing to the final cooling and condensing of the ammonia gas and making it possible to reduce the amount of cooling apparatus that has heretofore been necessary. In this construction the passage 13 may be placed in communication 'with the passage 14 by means of openings 39 in the tube 12, ad acent to plug 10, as

so shown in dotted lines. Providing the openings 39 in the tube 12 permits of a stream of the cool gases assing through thepassage 13 which is an e ective means for insulating the tube 1 from the heat of the catalytic as chamber.

In some cases it may be necessary. or desirable to supply the mixture of gases to the other end of the tube 1, as shown in Fig. 2, in which cases the gases may be M supplied through a supply pipe 29 contfi end 0 the tube 12 into the passage 14 and nected to a passage 30 in the cap 3 which communicates with a passage 31 in the plug 10 leading to the passage 13. From the passa e 13 the gases will pass around the thence into the chambers 18 and 17. Sup plyin the gases in this manner will also provi e a. layer of cooler incoming gases between the tube 12 and the tube 1 to invsulate the tube 1 from the heat of the catalytic chamber. As shown in this figure a layer 4.0 of suitable heat insulating material may be placed in the passage 13 as an additional protection for the tube 1. In

I w both the constructions described the tube masses and 12 are secured to theplugs 9 and 1d and may be inserted into the chamber or withdrawn as a unit thus greatly facilitat= ing repairs which may be made b substi ing a chamber therein, a second tube mounted in said chamber, plugs closing the ends of said second tube and a tube mounted on each plug independently of the other 2. In an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a ressure sustaining tube having a chain r therein, a second tube mounted in said chamber, plu 'closing the ends of said second tube, a tu emounted on one of said lugs and surrounding said second tube an other of said plugs and surrounded by mid second tube. v

3. In an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube havin a catalytic chamber, means surround said catalytic chamber with the heates ases discharged from. said catalytic chamer and means whereby the pressure sus-. tainin tube is insulated from the heat of the discharged gases by the cooler gases supplied to said catalytic chamber.

4:. In an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube having a catalytic chamber, an annular pass a tube mounted on the.

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surrounding said catalytic chamber for w I discharge of gases from said catalytic chamber and an annular passage surrounding the discharge passage for supplying the gases to the catalytic chamber.

5.- In an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube having an annular catalytic chamber, an annular passage surrounding the catalytic chamber for the discharge of gases from the .210

catalytic chamber and a plurality of concentric annular passages surrounding the disehar e passage through which the gases supplie to the catalytic chamber pass.

6. In an apparatus for the sn hesis of .ammonia, a pressure sustainin tu e having an annularcatalytic chamber t erein, a second chamber surroundedby said catalytic chamber, means in said second chamber for heating the ses supplied to said catalytic chamber an a plurality of annular inlet and discharge passages surrounding said catal ic chamber.

an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube having a catalytic chamber therein, a gas inlet passage -in said catalytic chamber, means mounted in said inlet passage for heating the gases supplied to said catalytic chamber, an annular passage for the discharge of ham said catalytic 1. surits rounding said catalytic chamber and means for heating the gases supplied to said catalytic chamber by the gases in said dischar e passage.

8. 11 an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube having a catalytic chamber therein, a gas inlet passage in said catalytic chamber, an annular passage surrounding said catalytic chamber for the discharge of gases from said catalytic chamber, means for heating the gases supplied to said catalytic chamber by the gases in said discharge passage and means to insulate said ressure sustaining tube frgm the heat of t e gases supplied to said tu e.

9. In an apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia, a pressure sustaining tube having a catalytic c amber therein, a gas inlet passage in said catalytic chamber, an annular discharge passage surrounding said catalytic chamber, means for heatin the gases supplied to said catalytic cham er by the gases in said discharge passage and means whereby the gases supplied to said catalytic chamber insulate the pressure sus tainin tube from the heat of the gases heate by the discharged gases.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto i signed my name.

LUIGI CASALE. Witnesses:

G. B. Znamnno, G. J. HANDY. 

